CLAIRE'S POV

When I opened my eyes again, I wasn’t in the dungeon. I wasn’t surrounded by cold stone and the stench of blood. I wasn't bonded by chains.

I was on my bed.

My heart raced, confusion flooding my senses. The room was bathed in soft morning light, the familiar scent of lavender filling the air. My bed, the one I hadn’t slept in for what felt like an eternity — how?

My hands shot up to my chest, to my wrists—no blood, no scars. I was whole. I was… alive.

I blinked, struggling to understand. This wasn’t possible. I had been dying. I had felt my life slipping away. Hadn’t I?

Had I been hallucinating? Had it been just one big nightmare?

What was happening?

“Hey, Claire. Open up,”

It was Petra.

What?! How could it be?!

There was another knock, louder this time. “Open the door!”

I didn’t understand. Was this a dream? A trick? How could I be here, in my bed, alive, when just moments ago I had been dying?

The Moon Goddess’s words echoed again in my mind: “It is not your fault.”

She had brought me back. She had given me another chance. It had to be it.

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest as I headed for the door and towards the woman who had taken everything from me.

“I'm coming, Petra,” I called out.

This time, I was ready for her.

I welcomed Petra inside my house with a smile, though I could feel the weight of what would happen later pressing down on me. She would soon lose it all , baby, the lies—it would all crumble around her, but she had no idea. As she walked into my home with her usual confidence and arrogance, I reminded myself to stay calm, to play the part she needed me to play.

“Thanks for this,” Petra said, tossing her bag onto the couch like she owned the place. “You’re a lifesaver, honestly. Jason’s been so suspicious lately, and I just need tonight to clear my head. He's getting a little bit suffocating.”

I gave a small nod, keeping my expression neutral. It wasn’t the first time she’d come to me with a request like this. Cover for her while she disappeared to meet with her lover. The story would be the same as always—I’d tell Jason she was with me if he asked, that we were out shopping or catching up. A simple lie, one I’d told too many times to count.

“You know I’ve got your back,” I said, my voice even. I wasn’t lying, exactly. I did have her back, but not in the way she thought. Everything would soon change.

Petra sighed, relief flooding her face. “You’re the only one I can trust with this, you know? Jason’s been paranoid lately, and I just need a break from him. If he asks, just say we were at the mall, okay? I'll just be a few hours.”

“Got it,” I replied, as she grabbed her things and left, the door closing softly behind her.

Once she was gone, I stood there for a moment, staring at the door. Tomorrow, everything would unravel, and Petra had no clue. She was so wrapped up in her own lies, in her little game with Jason, that she didn’t see the storm brewing. But I did. I saw it coming, and I wasn’t going to stop it. This was what I had been reborn for.

Later that evening, I heard loud pounding on my door like that of a madman. I could feel the tension before I even opened it. It was Alpha Jason with his guards.

There was something in his eyes, a wildness I hadn’t seen before. He was on edge, desperate for answers.

“Where’s Petra?!” he demanded harshly the second the door was open.

I blinked, feigning surprise. “Good evening, Alpha Jason.”

He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. “Don’t play games with me. Where's my mate? You said she was with you. If so, why is her car not in your driveway?!”

I took a deep breathe to keep my voice calm. “We were together earlier, but she left to run some errands.”

It was a weak lie, I knew it, and so did he. He could sense something was off, and it only fueled his anger.

“You’re lying,” he snapped, his hand clenching into a fist. “Tell me where she is now or I turn your entire house upside down.”

“I'm telling the truth, Alpha. I don't know where she is,” I said, my tone still casual, though my heart was racing. “I haven't seen her today.”

He scoffed, stepping even closer, his bodyguards looming behind him like shadows. “I don’t believe you. It is you who is always in constant need of her affection. It is you that is obsessed with her and won't let her have a minute breathing space to herself!”

“I'm not lying, Alpha. I haven't seen her.”

That set him off. His anger boiled over, and before I knew it, his bodyguards were tearing through my home. They knocked over furniture, smashed anything they could get their hands on. Glass shattered, and my heart sank as they destroyed the little I had. But I stayed still, standing in the middle of the chaos, refusing to let them see my fear.

“Stop this, Alpha Jason, please!” I cried, my voice low and pleading. “I'm telling you! I've not seen her today! I'm telling the truth! Please believe me!”

He ignored me, his fury consuming him. “I know what you are,” he spat, his voice thick with venom. “You’re into dark magic, aren’t you? That’s how you’ve been controlling her, keeping her away from me.”

“I'm not into black magic, Alpha Jason,” I said, shaking my head. “I'm not holding Petra against her will.”

His face twisted in rage, and for a moment, I thought he might hit me.

“You think this is funny?” he hissed, his voice low and dangerous. “You think you can just mock me and get away with it?”

“I'm not moc—”

“You're nothing but a needy little bitch, aren't you?” He said, cutting me off. “Someone who can't deal with their issues by

herself and thinks the world should cater for her needs and wants!”

My anger simmered at the accusations me but I made myself say calmly, “The truth will soon be revealed, Alpha Jason. You just need to wait a little while.”

He froze, his eyes narrowing as he tried to read me. I could see the gears turning in his head, the confusion mixing with his anger. He didn’t understand what I meant, but he soon would.

“How dare you try to cover up your lies with nonsense words?! Kyle, summon the pack elders right now!”

One of the guards immediately left to do as he was told.

My heart pounded heavily. What was he up to?

Jason faced me, a twisting mocking smirk on his face. “I gave you your chance to come clean about Petra's whereabouts but you refused. Now watch me destroy you.”

CLAIRE'S POV

Before I could respond, Alpha Jason grabbed my arm, yanking me forward with enough force to make me stumble. I tried to wrench free, but his grip was iron. He dragged me through the house and out into the open square. I heard the faint murmur of voices as we moved, people noticing the commotion. By the time we reached the center of the square, a crowd had begun to gather.

He released me with a rough shove, and I barely caught my balance, my heart pounding in my chest. I scanned the faces around me—pack members, all familiar, all once indifferent to my presence. But now, they were curious.

"Listen up!" Alpha Jason's voice boomed through the square, silencing the murmurs.

I clenched my fists, knowing exactly where this was going. Alpha Jason wasn’t going to rest until he had everyone on his side, until he’d painted me as the villain. He had the power to do it too—people listened to him, trusted him. He was the Alpha afterall, and in this pack, once someone was branded an outcast, there was no coming back.

“There’s something you all deserve to know about our dear friend here,” he continued, his eyes cutting into me with every word. “You all know her as my mate's younger sister, right? But one thing you don't know is that she is also a sex worker!”

The whole crowd gasped.

Alpha Jason continued on, “And not only that, for months, she’s been racking up debts from her excessive shopping sprees and fake lifestyle, losing money left and right. And who’s been there to bail her out of everything? Petra.”

I swallowed hard, fighting the urge to shout that it wasn't true, that I had never owed anyone money before. I wanted to scream that it was all lies, that I was innocent. But the Alpha held the power over these people. No, they wouldn't doubt their Alpha.

He pointed a finger at me, his expression one of disgust. “Petra ’s been nothing but a good sister to her, paying off her debts, keeping her from drowning in her own mess. But how does she repay that kindness?” He let the question hang in the air for dramatic effect before answering it himself. “By slandering Petra ’s name, spreading lies about her, and pushing her into depression. She doesn't even think about the fact that Petra is pregnant.”

The crowd shifted, their once neutral faces now hardening with accusation. They were buying into Jason’s story—hook, line, and sinker. It didn’t matter that there was no proof, no evidence. In their eyes, I was guilty, and Petra was the innocent victim.

Whispers began to fill the air.

“Can you imagine such filthy behavior?”

“How can a girl like that be a sex worker after all her sister does for her? It's truly not written in the face, because who would have thought someone like her could indulge in such!?”

“I know, right? And not only that, she still had the guts to spread lies about her sister who was kind enough to help her out of her debts. People like her don't deserve mercy. It's wasted on them.”

“I feel so sorry for Petra right now. Having such a sister is the worst thing in the world.”

I could feel the familiar ache in my chest, the bitterness of betrayal rising in my throat. In my previous life, I had tried to defend myself. I had shouted, screamed, pleaded for someone to believe me. But no one had. The truth hadn’t mattered then, and it didn’t matter now.

I barely spoke, barely moved, knowing that it would make no difference. Defending myself was pointless. They had already made up their minds about me.

But that didn’t mean I would go down quietly.

I took a step forward, and pleaded, "Please, you just have to wait a while. You will soon receive a call from Petra."

He faltered for just a second, his brow furrowing in confusion. But he recovered quickly, turning back to the crowd. “She’s desperate now, trying to twist this around like she always does. But you all know the truth—she’s a menace, and it’s about time she faces the consequences.”

The crowd murmured in agreement, their hostility toward me growing.

Moments later, as if on cue, Jason’s phone rang. He glanced down at the screen, his expression tightening when he saw the caller ID.

“Go ahead, Alpha,” I said quietly. “Answer it.”

He hesitated, just for a moment, before answering. I watched as his face shifted from anger to concern, and then to something darker. The crowd grew silent, everyone waiting for whatever news Petra had to deliver.

When he hung up, his gaze found mine, colder than before. “Petra… just lost the baby.”

The crowd gasped loudly.

Alpha Jason continued speaking, his voice heavy with accusation as he pointed at me. “And it's all your fault.”

He stepped closer, his voice a venomous whisper that only I could hear, “You've just signed your death sentence.”

I stared back at him, my heart pounding. This was only the beginning.